share this article

follow Us

share this article

follow Us

A picture taken on February 4, 2019 shows a view of the presidential palace in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi during a reception for Pope Francis. (AFP/Giuseppe Cacace)

For the first time since its completion in 2015, Abu Dhabi opened the doors to its glittering Presidential Palace to the public Monday.

Normally reserved for official state business and government affairs, the Presidential Palace has designated a building on the property named Qasr Al Watan, which means Palace of the Nation, where visitors can learn about the region's Arabic heritage and understand the state's governing institutions that shape the UAE.

The palace library is a highlight of the tour, as it houses books collected over 35 years on everything from archeology, history, heritage, memoirs, biographies, human and social sciences, statistics, administration, culture, literature and the arts.

The vast collection was curated to meet the needs of scholars and researchers all different disciplines, and different ages.